Vial



NOV- 24, 1953 F. s. DlcKlNsoN, .1R 2,660,171

VIAL

Filed Dec. 7, 1950 u l @f/0M,

Patented Nov. 24 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIAL Farleigh S. Dickinson, Jr., Rutherford, N. J.

Application December 7, 1950, Serial No. 199,588

kin separate compartments Without any danger of intermixing; the physician or other user beingA presented with a structure which may readily be operated when desired so that proper interrnixing will occur. Thereupon the resultant solution may be drawn into a syringe and be hypodermically injected.

A further object is that of providing an assembly of this type which will include relatively few parts, each capable of ready manufacture by quantity production methods to produce an inexpensive unit for satisfactorily accomplishing the desired results.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a vial;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view thereof; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2 but illustrative of steps taken by the user preparatory to hypodermically injecting the solution.

As shown in these views the vial includes a body embracing two compartment portions respectively indicated at 5 and 6. These portions are joined by a reduced neck embracing a tubular section 1 of minimum diameter, a slightly larger section 8 which is also tubular and an intervening ange or connecting portion 9. The neck connects compartments 5 and 6 and is conveniently `deined by outwardly extending portions As illustrated the vial may embrace merely two compartments; compartment 5 being closed by an imperforate base II. The outer end of compartrnent 6 may be dened by a laterally extending lip I2. All of these parts are preferably 4formed of glass although, in certain instances,

, other materials might be employed. They will also be integral with each other. Compartment 5 receives a medicament which may be in the form of a powder I3 and compartment 6 receives a diluent or vehicle I4 for the powder I3.

Communication between compartments 5 and 5 is normally prevented by means of a sealing means in the form of a stopper. This stopper conveniently embraces a head I5 and a plug I6.

That stopper should be formed ofrubber or simi- 5 Claims. (Cl. 12B-272) 2 lar material. Its dimensions are such that the plug rmly bears against the inner face of the constricted tubular portion 'I andthe adjacent head surfaces bear against the inner face of tubular portion 8 and the intervening connecting portion 9. In this manner it will be understood that a Very effective seal is provided extending throughout the stopper plug, the edge of its head and the lateral surface connecting these parts. Such a seal will preclude against any danger or accidental leakage from one compartment to the other.

The outer end of compartment 6 is also closed by a seal formed by a stopper which may again include a plug I'I and a head portion I8, both conveniently formed of rubber.v The inner face of head portion I8 bears against the outer surface of iiange I2 if such a iiange is employed. As shown, this latter stopper is of the type embodying a diaphragm portion capable of ready penetration by a needle. The parts may be held against movement and the outer surface of head portion I8 may be maintained in sterile condition by means of a disk I9 which is retained by a sealing cap 2U enclosing the lip I2 and adjacent surfaces of head I8. Both the disk and cap are conveniently formed of foil or of any other suitable` sheet material and are provided in accordance.A Also in accordance:

with well known techniques. with those techniques and as shown in Fig. 1 a.

tongue portion may be provided as part of the.`

cap and be dened by an arcuate slit as indi-1 cated at 2| As will finally be understood, it will, ordinarily be preferable to have the interior of? the vial body at atmospheric pressure, althoughg. under certain circumstances, pressure higher.` than atmospheric might desirably be embraced within compartment 5.

In any event, in use a physician will, in the usual manner, remove at least the center part of the: disk I8 or other protecting member by raising the tongue portion dened by slit 2| and tearing the material of the cap so that the latter may be removed after which disk I9 may be discarded. Thereupon he will introduce the end of a hypodermic needle 22 through the diaphragm of the outer cap as shown in Fig. 3. The needle being attached to a hypodermic barrel and piston assembly, that assembly may be actuated to cause an aspiration. The stopper may not move into lthe inner compartment because the enlarged part 3 these circumstances, a sub-atmospheric pressure will exist Within that compartment. An atmospheric or slightly higher than atmospheric pressure existing within compartment 5, it follows that air pressure will act against the inner face of plug portion I6 thus forcing the latter into compartment 6. This unseating of the central stopper will occur quite suddenly and will be complete. In other words, therewill berno danger offa' slight; or ypartial unseati-ng;:occurring with consequent sluggish flow or seepage of the diluent I4 into the compartment 5 containing the powder I3 or medicament in other form. Such unseating has also been shown in Fig.' 3 in which it is apparent that.,the.diluent has flowed from one to the other'compartme'nt.

Accordingly, the physician-ewhileapreferably leaving the needle in place-may primarilydischarge such diluent as he has withdrawnin'connection with the aforementioned aspirating ac- :fgiftionri-He fmaygitheniagitatethe assembly.: .toiassure of;.the;-f,creation: of.. awpropen solution-with thenmedicament feither-dissolveds ori ins-correct uspension. fgEin'ally-g inzaccordance.Withitheconventional:ltechnique-- and .asishown inv Fig. 4,*1fhe mayzsupportgthe vial Ain:up@ended",condition-and byraspirationwithdraw theisolutionintotlthe bar- 1 el of; the-syringe. Thereafter :he maysproceed th theihypodermic injection in .thetusual manerigrls Vwill bezunderstood ldueto the' factlthat inthe; largenorviialreda. endof: the. connectingvl portion extends towards the outer compartmentAT 6 :tand itis only:necessaryk `to move: the.stopper for he lengthcofzthenplug portion.l :l g-aratherv than or the;:ov.e1=all;,length; of..` the stopper,J nof-difcuties will? beexperienced:.infzvcausingl a isubjsagntiallyapimmediate .'unseatingf'of i the s .stopper r 5.-;,l 6.; :'Ihisr'willube'u truexdespite the `multipleesurfaceg .seal existing :between .ztheA connecting i-,pontionfand that, stopper.

' Thusg among; othersf, the several e objects` of:A the 3 Y inventions as; specifically aforenoted are achieved. 1;:Qbvieus1yn1nnerous.changes in construction and j rearrangement f of; the 1 parts a might .Ebel/resorted gto witheutgdeparting `-from= ther-spiritofithe'1inyen-,tionas idenediabm the fclaims.

lelaim: 1. :A :.evial including in combinationl a hollow dy @embracing an inner f compartment :having lo uterfend closed, ;ani outercompartmentI havg'gitsouter endsopeirza neck portion connectng Said z(10ml)altments,e saidvneck portion 'havl ng 1 a :Width Liese; thanI .the width oftsaidf-outer ompvartm-entfgthe. inner faceioi said-,neckfportionY `presenting van t' uninterrupted. f substantially :smooth seating surface :adjacent lsaidf'outer-rcomc :fpartmenafastopperof .a widthlles's rtl-1an' the-internal width of at least saidzouter-compartment, said stopperl :extending in ithe: direction of said v Outer compartment and bearing-1inI sealing frelationship j against said seating: surface, f an fen- -flarged `:partV incorporated saidfstopper and y bearingfagainst fsurfaces;1ofrsaidznecmportiontto :f prevent I movement of; saidistopperinto'saidi inner Y,cornparifment, a. furtherustopper `mounted fadjafcent the openendsof saidfoutercompartment and in V'coriiunction with a' said Hirst-'named 'f stopper rsealng :fsaid outer.v compartment and fsaidffur- .@fther.\.-.St0pperg :beinguperfora-ble :by :a `canning hrQugh. which :pressures ',inf'zthe `outer compart- -ment `may 1 be reduced to cause 'f -theresultant *f-:hzggher .pressure-zin 1lthe inner s compartmentdto force .said rstenamed: stopper:fromzgitsr-seatfinto id-.0.uter compartment.

A -vialfinclmndin;combinationxa hollow body embracing an inner compartment having its outer end closed, an outer compartment having its outer end open, a neck portion connecting said compartments, said neck portion having 5 a width less than the width of said outer compartment, an inner face of said neck portion presenting a reduced bore adjacent said inner compartment, an enlarged bore adjacent said outer compartment and .anz-outwardlyextending lo'ifl'ange iportionprovidi-ngaseati'fb'etween said bores, a headed stopper having its stem bearing .in sealing relationship against said reduced bore and its head bearing in similar relationship against said flange and enlarged bore, a further stopper, mountedadjacent the open end of said Wouter' compartment and in conjunction with said -fz-rstfnamedmstopper sealing said outer compartment and said further stopper being perforable by a'cannula through which pressures in the outer compartment may be reduced to cause the re- =f:sultan`t12higher pressurefin the yinner compartment.Lt'offorceIsaid first-named stoppen-from its seat into said outer compartment.

f 3. 'A f vial 4`including inr combination a" hollow fr tbody embracing-an inner compartment havingeits 1 outer end closed,"-an outer f compartment-having fits'outer en'd open, anec'kpo'rtion "connecting Nsaid 4'c'ompartments, `said l'neckY portion"having awidth .-vfless than the'f-widthofsaid'outer compartment, y 30' tthe inner faceofsaid neck 'portion presentingfan funint'errupted substantiallyfsmooth'- seatingf sur- 'faceladjae`ent said outer-compartment, Ials'topp'er vfof ia lwidthi lessl than the-1 internallwidth Vof -l at least said outer compartment, said vstopperf-ex- 435 tendingY in Y the ldirection ofsaid outer-"compartment andf bearing inisealingl relationship against 'saidl-seat, 'anf enlarged part `incorporated in? said V'fstopper'-andbearing-against'surfacesiofsa'id-'neck :portion to prevent' movement of-'fsaid `stopper 2Vinto LNG said inner compartment, a fur-ther stopper 'famounted adj acent the' open* end 1-of saidv outer @compartment and inf conjunction '-v'sl'ith"-`sa`id` 'firstf named i stopper-sealingfisaid louterY compartment, liquid within said outer compartment, non- 5.45 liquid medicant'iwithinsaid -inner'compart'ment andi said.A further? stopper being-'perforable 'by a can-nula* through 'which v{lid-uid.4 from the #outer 'compartment Lmay "be \`Withdrawn to i reduce: the pressure"I withinlsuch -compa'rtmentfand cause the s :r resultant higher pressurein1thelinnericompartment to force-saidrst-nanied-v 'stormen'vfrm-I its seatintoasaid outer! compartment.

s 1-4. A vial Jincludin'g 2 in combination f-a hollow .sbody 'embracing-1an P inner compartment i having '4f-55 .its outerrend` closed,` an outer` compartment haviin-'g its. outer end? open, 'a'neckportion' connecting -zsaidfcompartmenta said' neck portion` hav-ing? a .iwidthlessthanlthewidth-ot said outer fcom-partment, the inner face of said neck portion presenting va; plurality ofuninteii'lipted substantially fsmooth: seating Yslirfaees iTexte'rldin,g1-fsubstantially atfri'ght 1 ang-les `w'ith respect '-to 1fea'eh--'other and '.aadjacentfsaid Louter compartment, -saidis'rfacs i "receiving in" sealin'g?!relatic'ns'hipfal stopperfada'pt- 65. .fredfsolely form'ovemen't into-said outer compartment, the .outeriend of said outercor'npaitment i ,fheingz'adapted 'to f-recei've a'lfu'rtlier stoppen-prforable byacannula whereby withfsaid'stoppers inpositionythe pressurewithin said outer com- .v partrnentfmay'befreduced -to 'cause Said-nrst- .namedfstopper to unseat and lmove-into"fsaid wouter. compartment.

5. `A `Vial including-in c'ombinational hollow .bodybembracing-an `inner compartmenthavingits xl outer-34 end fcloseds-'an 'outer compartment having its outer end open, a neck portion connecting said compartments, said neck portion having a Width less than the width of said outer compartment, the inner face of said neck portion presenting an uninterrupted substantially smooth seating surface adjacent said outer compartment, said seating surface embracing a reduced bore portion adjacent said inner compartment, an enlarged bore portion adjacent said outer compartment and an outwardly extending flange between said bore portions, both said bore portions being parallel to the vial axis and said flange being disposed at right angles to said bore portions, said neck portion being adapted to receive a headed stopper, the stem of which extends in sealing relationship With said reduced bore portion and the head of which` is to bear in sealing relationship with said iiange and enlarged bore portions and said outer compartment adjacent its outer end proi5 viding a seat for a further stopper periorable by a cannula through which the pressure in the outer compartment may be reduced to cause an unseating of the first-named stopper and a movement of the latter into said outer compartment.

FARLEIGH S. DICKINSON, JR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 663,733 Crane Dec. 11, 1900 1,275,315 vSmith Aug. 13, 1918 2,324,237 Reichel July 13, 1943 2,371,774 Nosik Mar. 20, 1945 2,549,417 Brown Apr. 17, 1951 2,610,628 Lockhart Sept. 16, 1952 

